Work station fixtures



May 29, 1956 w. G. FRENCH WORK-STATION FIXTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 30, 1952 INVENTOR WP/flam Gfienciz ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 w. G.FRENCH WORK STATION FIXTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1952INVENTOR- llPW/am GET-77c];

7 /7/// ////AT 7 a ATTORNEY WORK STATION FIXTURES William G. French,Baltimore, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Aetna Steel ProductsCorporation, N ew York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationSeptember 30, 1952, Serial No. 312,309

3 Claims. (Cl. 204) This invention relates to work station fixtures, andmore particularly to partition units and connectors therefor.

In large office or work chambers, it has been the custom to assign alarge number of workers to a single room or chamber. This has resultedin inefficiency due to confusion, distraction, noise and interferencebetween personnel. To overcome this condition, it has heretofore beennecessary to install permanent partitions to divide the large area intosmaller more private units, but this is expensive and inetficient withrespect to the use of available space. It has more recently beenproposed to overcome the defects of both of the foregoing arrangementsby means of portable removably connectable partitions and work fixturesto thereby afford the personnel with sufficient privacy while utilizingthe available floor space with greatest economy and elficiency. Theconnecting means for these portable partitions, however, are unsightly,time consuming in operation, loosen with use so that the partitions arenot stable and rattle and are subject to breakage due to undue stressesand strains.

Having in mind the defects of the prior art equipment, it is theprincipal object of the present invention to provide portable partitionsand fixtures with concealed releasable securing means.

It is another object of the invention to provide a releasable securingmeans for portable partitions which will not loosen from use.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a releasableconnection for portable partition units that Will provide rigidity.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a releasableconnection for portable partition units that will accommodate unduestresses and strains.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide concealedreleasable connecting means for portable partitions and fixtures havingsimplicity of organization, economy of construction and efficiency ofoperation.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto are preferablyaccomplished according to the preferred embodiment of the invention by acruciform anchor connector adapted to selectively support a headed studin any of its branches. This connector is preferably embedded in a postor the like. A hollow panel unit has a slot in its edge rail forreceiving the stud anda leaf spring within the panel unit forcooperating with the stud, the spring having a keyhole slot for passingand spanning the stud head.

The novel features of the invention that are considered characteristicof the invention are set forth with particularity in the appendedclaims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization andmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantagesthereof, will best be understood from the following description of aspecific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a port- States Patent2,747,236 Patented May 29, 1956 able partition structure incorporatingthe present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view in perspective of a concealed connectormeans in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view corresponding to line 33of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an exploded cross-sectional View, similar to Figure 3, andillustrating the manner of embedding the connecting means in a post;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, similar to Figures 3 and4, and showing the connecting means embedded in the post;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 6-6 of Figure3, and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line 7-7 of Figure3.

Referring now to the drawings, specifically to Figure 1, a portablepartition in accordance with the present invention comprises a panelunit 10 adapted to be releasably connected at each side to posts 11 by aconcealed connecting device 12. A separate translucent or transparentpanel element 13 may be mounted above the panel unit 10, if desired.

The panel unit 10 preferably comprises a frame 15 in cluding edge rails16 and on the sides of which are mounted panels 17 to form a hollowunit, as best shown in Figure 3. The panels 17 preferably are of a sounddamping formation and the space therebetween may be filled withinsulation, if desired. The edge rails 16 have slots 13 for receivingthe connecting devices 12 and prefer ably are provided with centrallongitudinal ribs 19.

The posts 11 preferably are of solid square construction, as shown inFigures 35, but obviously may be of hollow sheet metal or extrudedconstruction. These posts are provided with a centrally disposedlongitudinal channel 20 in each of its sides for receiving the rib 19 ofa panel unit connected thereto, as shown in Figure 5. The nesting of therib 19 in the channel 20 precludes lateral play between the post 11 andpanel unit 10. To support the connecting device 12, the post 11 isprovided with transverse perpendicularly intersecting bores 21 openingthrough the respective channels 20 in all four sides of the post, asbest shown in Figure 4.

The connecting devices 12 are best shown in Figure 2 and comprise ananchor portion including a base member 25 cooperative with cross members26 and 27 to form a cruciform anchor embedded in the post 11, as bestshown in Figure 5. The base member 25 is cylindrical and has internallythreaded sockets 28 at each end with a centrally disposed transversebore 29. The member 25 has recesses 30 surrounding the ends of the bore29 to seat the cross members 26 and 27, and transverse driver slots 31are provided in the ends of said member- The cross member 26 comprises abolt including a threaded shank 32 and a cylindrical head 33 having aninternally threaded socket 34- opening through the end. thereof and adriver slot 35 transversely in the head end.. The other cross member 27comprises a cylindrical nut having an internally threaded bore 36 and atransversedriver slot 37 in the outer end thereof;

The outer diameters of the members 25 and 27 and of the head 33 ofthe-member 26 preferably are uniform; and of a size to snugly fit in thecross bores 21 of the post 11. The diameters and threads of the sockets28 and 34 and of the bore 36 are uniform. In addition, the: bolt shank32 is of a diameter to freely pass through the bore 23 of the basemember 25 and to mate with the threaded bore 36 of the nut member 27.

This anchor portion is embedded in the post 11, as best shown in Figure4. The base member 25 is insertedin a bore 21 until it is centrally ofthe post and its ends substantially flush with the inner walls of thechannels 2%. The member is then rotated, if necessary, by means of ascrew driver in the slots 31 until the bore 29 is substantially axiallyaligned with the .eross bore 21. The bolt member 26 is then inserted insaid cross bore 21 and its shankBl passed through the bore 29 in themember 25. The nut member 27 is inserted in the opposite .end of thecross bore 21.

Upon engagement of the shank .32 and the nut member 27, the two members26 and 27 are relatively rotated by means of screw drivers in theirslots 35 and 37 to thread the shank 32 into the bore 36 until the innerend of the member 27 and the head 33 are firmly seated in the recesses30 of the member 25. It will be noted from Figure 5 that when the shank32 is fully home in the the bore 36, the outer end portion of said bore36 is still free and forms a socket equivalent to the sprockets 28 andIn addition to the foregoing anchor portion, the connecting device 12also comprises a stud portion 40 that is removably connectable with saidanchor portion. As best shown in Figure 2, the stud portion d comprisesa body portion d2, preferably cylindrical, having at one end a reducedportion 43 with a threaded shank 44. At the other end, the stud 46 istapered or rounded to form a 'leadd'n 45 and has a transverse driverslot 46. Spaced from the lead-in 45, the body portion is reduced to.provide a neck 47 forming a head 48 at the lead-in end.

The stud portion 4% is removably mounted, as desired, to the cruciformanchor portion embedded in the post 11. The threaded shank 44 is adaptedto mate with any of the sockets 23, M or 36, and the reduced end portion43 is of a size to snugly fit in a channel 29 in the post with theshoulder surrounding said portion 43 preferably abutting the side of thepost 11, as shown in Figures 3 and 6. The stud 49 then protrudes fromthe post 11, as shown in Figure 1. As indicated in Figure 3, a stud 4%may be mounted on more than one side of the post 11 depending upon theparticular partition under assembly.

Cooperative with the stud 4% is a relative stiff leaf spring 41 having abase portion 53 and a bowed or bent portion 51 terminating in a free endportion 52. This spring is provided with a keyhole slot 53 having anenlarged opening adjacent the base portion 50, and the slot extends fromsaid opening along the bent portion 51 and into the end portion 52. Theopening 54 is of a size to pass the head 48 of the stud 49, while theslot 53 is of a size to receive the stud neck portion 57 but narrowerthan the diameter of said head.

The spring 41, as best shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7, is mounted, by meansof its base portion 50, on the inner side of the panel unit edge rail 16with the spring slot 53 alignment with the rail slot 18. Like thecruciform anchor portion which is rigidly, and normally permanently,embedded in the post 11, the spring 41 is also fixed or permanentlymounted within the panel unit 10. On the other hand, the stud 40 isremovably mounted as required, depending upon the extent and shape ofthe particular partition being erected.

It will be understood that the panel units and posts 1?. areprefabricated for selective connection as and when desired. Duringfabrication of the post 11, the cruciform anchors are embedded withinthe posts and normally remain during the life of the posts. In view ofthe tongue and groove connection of the ribs 19 and channels 20, asingle connecting device 12 may be used for connecting each post andpanel unit. Preferably, however, there are two of the connecting devicesfor each post and panel unit, as shown in Figure I. To erect any desiredpartition, then, it is only necessary to provide the selected number ofpanel units in, posts 11, studs 40 and panel elements 13;, if used, anda screw driver is the only tool necessary.

In erecting a partition, the studs 46 are mounted on one side each oftwo posts 11. One post 11 is then disposed adjacent one edge rail 16 ofa panel unit 10, the studs 40 thereof being inserted in the slots 18 inthe edge rail 16, and their heads 48 are passed through the openings 54in the springs 41, the rib 19 of the edge rail 16 being seated in thechannel 20 in the adjacent face of the post 11. This disposition of thepanel unit and post is illustrated in Figure 6, the stud 4d and spring41 being in broken line, wherein it will be noted that the spring 41 isin relaxed position.

The panel unit 1% and post 11 are then relatively moved longitudinallyto pass the stud neck 4'7 into the spring slot 53, with the stud head 48bearing against the spring 41 and tensioning the spring toward the post11, as shown in full lines in Figure 6. The springs 41 are arranged withthe openings 54 at the bottom of the slots 53, so that the weight of thepanel unit It) is operative to hold the springs down with the stud necks47 in the upper end .of the slots 53 with the free end portions 52acting on the stud heads 48.

When th one post Jill and panel unit 10 are properly connected, theother post 11 is then connected with the opposite edge rail 16 of thepanel unit 10 in exactly the same manner as the first-mentioned post.This is the relation of the posts 11 and panel 10 illustrated inFigure 1. The panel element 13 is mounted on top of the panel unit 10with its lateral edges seated in the facing channels 26* of the twoposts 11.

The partition is extended by mounting additional studs 40 on anotherface of one of the posts 11 and then connecting another panel unit 10 tosaid post, as indicated in phantom lines in Figure 3. Obviously, theadditional panel units 10 may be connected to any or all of theremaining three sides of a post 11, depending on the particularformation of partition desired. In other words, the partition may beextended in planar relation, may form a corner, as indicated in Figure3, or it may form a T or cross intersection.

It will be noted that the connections 12 between the posts 1-1 and panelunits 10 are completely concealed, and that assembly may be effectedwithout tools other than a screw driver to tighten the studs 40.Moreover, the springs 41 bias the posts and panel units toward eachother to provide a snug fit that will not loosen and weaken with use,while the interfitting rib 19 and channel 20 preclude lateral play andassist in providing a firm joint. On the other hand, in the event ofundue twisting strain, as at the intersection joint of a partitionstructure, the springs 41 will resiliently yield and thereby preventbreakage.

Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shownand described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof arepossible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted exceptinsofar as is necessitated by the prior art and the spirit of theappended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. In a self-supporting, movable, room dividing partition structurecomprising a plurality of partition forming units having abuttingvertical edges, means interlockingly joining adjacent units at theirabutting vertical edges, said interlocking means including a horizontalstud fixed at one end to one unit and projecting from the abutting edgeof said one unit, the adjacent unit having an aperture in the abuttingedge thereof into which said stud projects, said stud having an enlargedhead on the free end thereof, said adjacent unit having a hollow spaceinto which said aperture opens, keeper means disposed in said hollowspace in communication with said aperture interlockingly engaging .theenlarged head of said stud, said keeper means including a relativelystifif generally vertically extending resilient leaf spring attached tosaid adjacent unit only at one end portion thereof and having aninclined portion extending from said one end portion away from the fixedend of said stud terminating in a freely movable unattached portionincluding a generally fiat section through which said stud projectsdisposed on a plane generally perpendicular to said stud, saidunattached portion maintaining tension on the enlarged head of said studto maintain the units in abutment under changing physical forces.

2. In a self-supporting, movable, room dividing partition structurecomprising a plurality of partition forming units having abuttingvertical edges, means interlockingly joining adjacent abutting unitscomprising a stud projecting from the vertical edge of one unit andhaving an enlarged head on the free end thereof, keeper means carried bythe adjacent unit interlockingly engaging said stud and exerting acontinuous resilient tension on said stud and maintaining the adjacentvertical edges of the units in abutment with one another, said keepermeans including a resilient leaf spring attached at one end thereof tothe adjacent unit, the other end of said spring being loose, said springhaving a generally vertically disposed fiat portion generally parallelto the vertical edge of the adjacent unit and being rearwardly offsetfrom the attachment of said one end of said leaf spring to said adjacentunit, said vertically disposed flat portion being joined to said one endby a connecting portion extending angularly away from said one end andhaving an aperture through which said stud projects, said leaf springmaintaining a continuous resilient tension on said enlarged head of saidstud.

3. In a self-supporting, movable, room dividing partition structurecomprising a plurality of partition forming units having abuttingvertical edges, means interlockingly joining adjacent abutting unitscomprising a stud projecting from the vertical edge of one unit andhaving an enlarged head on the free end thereof, keeper means carried bythe adjacent unit interlockingly engaging said stud and exerting acontinuous resilient tension on said stud maintaining the adjacentvertical edges of the units in abutment with one another, said keepermeans including a resilient leaf spring attached at one end thereof tothe adjacent unit, the other end of said spring being loose, said springhaving a vertically extending substantially flat portion generallyparallel to the vertical edge of the adjacent unit and being rearwardlyoffset from the attachment of said one end of said leaf spring to saidadjacent unit, said vertically disposed flat portion being joined tosaid one end by a connecting portion extending angularly away from saidone end and having an aperture through which said stud projects, saidflat portion maintaining a continuous resilient tension on said enlargedhead of said stud, said spring having a keyhole slot therein with thelarger opening of the slot being in said connecting portion and thesmaller opening thereof being in said fiat portion and constituting saidaperture, the enlarged head of said stud fitting initially through saidlarge opening and movable along said connecting portion through saidsmaller opening into seating engagement with the rear surface of saidflat portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS735,618 Tannewitz Aug. 4, 1903 1,154,622 Fangel Sept. 28, 1915 1,176,692Smith Mar. 21, 1916 2,053,462 Chaplin Sept. 8, 1936 2,107,624 BergerFeb. 8, 1938 2,140,772 Slayter et al Dec. 20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS545,634 Germany Mar. 9, 1932 129,841 Australia Nov. 5, 1948

